A family visiting from Spain and a pilot were killed Thursday when a helicopter touring the New York City area plummeted into the Hudson River.
Video showed the body of the chopper plunging into the water, apparently having lost its propeller. Witnesses told NBC News that they heard a loud sound, which one person described as possible engine failure, before seeing the helicopter go down.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters that the helicopter, a Bell 206, left a helipad in downtown Manhattan just before 3 p.m. and cruised along the New York City side of the river.
It lost control after turning at the George Washington Bridge at 3:08 p.m. to move along the New Jersey side of the river, Tisch said. Calls to 911 operators rushed in at 3:17 p.m. as bystanders tried to get help.
“The helicopter hit the water, we believe inverted … the cabin piece was visible above water,” Tisch said.
Three adults and three children, who were not identified, were on board at the time of the crash.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams offered his condolences during a news conference Thursday evening.
“This is still fresh, and it’s still new,” Adams said. “The investigation is ongoing, and we have the entire family members, we’re lifting them up in prayer.”
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.
